Justin Jefferson in uniformCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 01: Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up against the Carolina Panther at Bank of America Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Colin Cowherd is a man who knows all about saying outlandish things and he is back at it this week.

The sports media personality is going viral after he floated the Minnesota Vikings sending Justin Jefferson and their 2025 first-round pick to the Patriots to move up from No. 11 to No. 3 in this year’s draft.

 

“I’ve got an idea,” Cowherd said on his show The Herd on Monday. “New England’s got the No. 3 pick. What does New England desperately need? A playmaker. Justin Jefferson — switch picks, I’ll give you next year’s (first-rounder) and Justin Jefferson to go from 11 to 3. ‘Cause they’ve already got Jordan Addison, they’ve got the tight end they like (T.J. Hockenson). They’ve got skill players. Next year’s one and Justin Jefferson to move up to the number three spot to get your quarterback.”

The Minnesota Vikings are “keeping an eye on” the possibility of trading up from No. 11 overall to select a quarterback in the top three of the 2024 draft, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, which gave Cowherd the notion to come up with this idea.

This would be quite the haul for the Patriots, who would land arguably the NFL’s best wide receiver and a future first-round pick to move down just eight spots in Round 1.


Jefferson is entering the final year of his contract and likely will demand the largest receiver contract in NFL history next offseason. Three All-Pro selections, three Pro Bowls, and four seasons with 1,000 yards—including his injury-plagued 2023 campaign—have been accumulated by Jefferson in just four seasons.

In 60 games over the course of four seasons, Jefferson has 392 catches for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns. Over a 17-game season, he averages 111 receptions, 1,671 yards, and eight touchdowns.

New England desperately needs a franchise quarterback and would be guaranteed one of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels at No. 3 overall. They are also moving into a new era without Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo running the show.